Pie Crust Table #4: Working on the inside edge

Now I feel like David Marks with all the templates, but it was the only way I could think of that was fool proof. By fool proof I mean that you can’t wander with the router and cut off what you didn’t want to.

I needed to make three paper patterns. One for each of the cuts I will be making. Here are two of them taped to the template before cutting.......These were made from the corners of MDF like the one for the outside. I had to leave more material on the outside edge so that when I applied pressure with the router if didn’t flex away. They don’t look pretty but they turned out pretty good where they counted.

These gave me a chance to use my scroll saw which sits neglected in my shop most of the time. Then some sanding and filing and the edges were perfect (as far as I could make them anyway).. ...Then since I wouldn’t be able to see my lines in the top, once I starting removing material, to line things up I drilled a hole to allow me to see through. Then just extended my line into the hole. This is one of the reasons I am going to save cutting the outside radius until last. Otherwise it would remove my lines from the outside edge.....Here you can see part of the rough cut just to make clearance for the other bits. I just used the flat router bit with one of the wider templates. Now here I don’t want to remove too much material from the surface because I still want to use it to support the router base when I route the outside radius. That will be the last thing I do before removing all the material from the inside... ..Here’s one of my 2 rarely used plunge routers, set up with my router guide insert and flat bit. You can also see why I left so much material on the templates. I have to have room for the clamp.....Now because of the diameter of the 1/4” radiusing bit I couldn’t use a router guide insert like a did above, so I had to do something different.

I had to add a bearing to the bit. Luckily the bearing from the other bit I am going to use would work. See the larger diameter shank on the blue bit? Well, that was because the inside diameter of the bearing was 5/16”. So to get it to work on my 1/4” shank red bit I had to make a sleeve to the shank to increase the diameter. Now I just happen to have a metal cutting lathe so I just made one.....The next time you see this I should have the entire inside edge done and show you how I remove the rest of the material from the inside.

-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX

The idea of leaving material on the outside edge of the template is something I will have to remember!! Now that you have the templates, you will have to make more than one table! (unless you’re like me and have a shop full of one-of-a-kinds)

Good stuff Gary. I actually have autocad software…just haven’t taken the time to learn to use it….This makes me rethink that. Going through this blog series, is providing fuel for various ideas for using these techniques.